


Context

by mssarahx



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Bit of Fluff, F/M, sherlock has some explaining to do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 19:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9339521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mssarahx/pseuds/mssarahx
Summary: After TFP Sherlock must explain those three little words to Molly





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is unedited, pure fluff, written in a manic frenzy after the end of TFP.  
> Ignore any mistakes because im tired and angry.  
> *slight moftiss bashing. not even really, but still ...*

The aftermath took day's. Sherlock had been questioned again and again by all levels of british and international intelligence agencies; although not quite as thoroughly as Mycroft had been. 

Mummy and father had been a whole other debacle, their questioning more intense than he could have believed from a former mathematician.

But finally he had chance to breathe and to think; about the one activity that he had to face before life could return to normal.

Molly.

What he had said on that day could , or would, be the end of them. He had no idea what he could say to her, only that he couldn't say that again. Without a gun to Molly's head he could not admit his weakness again. She had already been used against him before, he could not allow that. 

But another thing stuck in his mind. How did Eurus know ? He had been so careful with Molly, never treating her as more than friend, never allowing sentiment to cloud his interactions with her. Yes, Molly had made it known how she felt about Sherlock, proving time and time again that her love for him is beyond unbreakable; but how did eurus know that it would break him to say it to her?

Was he that obvious in his affection that she could see his need to protect her? He knew that Moriarty couldn't have told her , as Moriarty himself had overlooked the pathologist. 

It would become a mystery never to be solved as Eurus retreated back into herself, never allowing another word to slip of her plan. 

Sherlock made his way down the stairs to Molly's door , hoping she would answer. She had been withdrawn for days according to Lestrade, saying the bare minimum during autopsies and leaving work without a word. 

he knocked boldly three times and waited to hear the tell tale shuffling on the carpets. 

Soon enough the door creaked open and Mollys head peaked between the door and it's frame.

"Sherlock I-"

"Sorry to barge in Molly," she said pushing the door open fully, the small doctor backing away with little resistance "but i'm afraid we must talk." 

He allowed himself into the lounge, waiting for her by the couch. 

Molly followed behind and instead of sitting beside him, she walked to the adjoining kitchen, pausing to put the kettle back in its spot on the side an picking up her mug. 

"Sherlock, I’ve had a really long day - week in fact- and i really don't need this" 

Molly's abruptness startled Sherlock, he had expected hurt feelings but her cold indifference to his presence was more concerning than he wished to admit. 

"Molly, I know that my presence here is not what you would have wanted, but I need to explain." He paused and let out a breath, "I owe you an explanation."

She looked him dead in the eyes and he almost recoiled from the anger than was shining in her iris'. 

"No. You don't owe me anything Sherlock. You had a case to solve and you needed me to help. That's how we work, isn't i?" She forcefully placed her cup down on the side, the sound deafening in the small space. "You need something and i'm there. I'm always there to give the great Sherlock Holmes a helping hand, ask no questions, ruffle no feathers and then carry on as if nothing ever changes." By the end of her sentence her voice had deepened into a startling growl, Sherlock fighting to keep his shock from his face.

“Molly, it wasn’t like that.” He stepped forward towards her, his hands clenching, looking for something to hold onto, settling for the back rest of the couch beside him.

“Really? Then explain it to me!” She almost shouted, catching herself in the last moment. “Please , tell me why you would ever _ever_ ask me to say that to you? And why would you ever say it to me? Knowing how I feel about you, knowing that saying those words for any other reason than _actually_  meaning them, would break me into pieces” Sherlock realised at this moment that it wasn’t rage in Molly’s eyes, but pain, as the tears started to fall down her porcelain cheeks. He desperately wanted to reach out to her, but couldn’t, the short distance between them seeming to stretch out for a mile.

“Molly, all I can say is that I am sorry.” She glance up at him, her expression changing into one of resignation. “I’m sorry that I asked you to say it and i’m sorry that I said those words in that way. I never wanted you to think I would say it just to hurt you. But she was going to kill you Molly. At least I thought she was, she’d followed through on every other threat so far-“

“Wait , what ?” Molly interrupted him, he expression becoming curious through her tears.

“Oh, well, you see ,” Sherlock stumbled, unsure how much to tell her, but deciding it was all or nothing , “it turns out I have a sister, who is a genius, but also a complete psychopath with the ability to reprogram everyone she meets. And she kidnapped me and John and Mycroft and told me that if I didn’t get you to say ‘I love you’ then she would blow you up. Showed me surveillance images of you and everything. She’d already killed five people in 20 minutes so I had reason to believe that she would kill you.”

Molly was stunned silent, until she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

Sherlock raced over to her, worried she may have injured herself or was going to faint, but before he could lay a hand on her he heard the sound of wheezing laughter emanating from the tiny pathologist.

She straightened up, wiping her eyes “Sherlock that might have been the most idiotic plot I have ever heard! A secret sister? You’ve got to be kidding me? Where was she kept ? a secret floating prison fortress with futuristic technology and over the top security ?”

“Well actually –“ Sherlock struggled to see the comic value in his story, but Molly continued to laugh. She sighed and looked up at him, mirth still written across her face, until she saw his expression, her smile disappearing.

“Wait, you’re serious? “

Sherlock shrugged and took a seat at the breakfast bar. Molly blew out a breath and took the seat next to him, her arm just a hairs width away from his.

“Wow. I mean – wow. Your life is like a badly written soap opera. A secret sister. “ Incredulous, Molly took a sip from her now cold cup of tea, swallowing before turning to face him.

“Sherlock. I know that I am your friend. And I know that you would do anything to protect those you care for, even if it means hurting us. But please, never say those words to be again.” She inhaled slowly, “I know that you will never feel the same away about me and I’ve convinced myself that I am okay with that, because I have to be. I can be your friend Sherlock, we can even be like family, but I need you to know that if you ever utter those three words to me again, in any other context other than their true meaning, I will never speak to you again. Do you understand.”

Sherlock was struck dumb by her candor. He had never known such a strong yet vulnerable woman. He wanted to bundle her up in his arms and protect her from the world around her and at the same time promote her on a plinth in Leicester square for the whole of London to admire. A voice started to whisper in the back of his mind, a familiar voice, one which he had ignored for so long.

_You love her_

_You love her_

_You love her._

It grew louder until it was screaming, bouncing around his skull. _He did love her_. And when you love someone, you protect them.

He must protect Molly Hooper.

“Molly I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are always protected and cared for. As long as there is breath in me, I will never hurt you.” She smiled, genuine and adoring. She stood from her stool and gestured to the kettle “cup of tea?”.

“Yes, thank you.”

 

He stayed another few hours, Molly convincing him to watch Medici on Netflix, turning it off after one and a half episodes due to Sherlock pausing every few minutes to explain how they got the whole history of the show wrong.

Half way through a sappy romantic comedy, Molly dozed off on his shoulder. He reached across the sofa and covered her with the afghan that adorned the back, draping it over her petite frame. He shifted so she was laying across his lap and he stroked her hair, listening to her breathing, slow and deep with the occasional adorable wheeze.

He leaned down close and whispered softly,

“I love you Molly Hooper.”

He rose again, settling back against the cushions, closing his eyes, until he felt Molly shift beneath him. He peaked down at her and saw her eyes flutter open, a small smile gracing her lips.

“I love you too Sherlock Holmes.”


End file.
